INEC and challenges of new constituencies

Constituency delimitation is part of the agenda by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2015 general elections. AUGUSTINE AVWODE examines the imperative, challenges and prospects of the plan.

With a growing political consciousness among Nigerians,the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has a huge responsibility on its shoulders. Nigerians, more than ever, are demanding for free, fair and credible elections. This is a reality that is not lost on the electoral umpire. The 2015 general elections, remain a veritable opportunity to test INEC’s preparedness to give Nigerians something to cheer in the conduct of elections.

Only last week, INEC chairman Prof Attahiru Jega, reiterated this reality by pledging, almost for the umpteenth time, that the body will conduct free and credible elections in 2015. The INEC boss spoke when he received in audience, the top management team of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), which was led by its Acting Director-General, Dr. Samson Shuaibu. The team had gone to INEC to explore areas of cooperation and collaboration in the next election.

In Jega’s words: “We at INEC are aware of the enormous responsibilities that have been placed on our hands to produce a framework and deepen democracy in our country. We have been doing our best in that regard and we have benefited tremendously from the participation of all stakeholders and it is the partnership of all stakeholders with INEC that was responsible for the achievements recorded in the 2011 elections.

“Since the 2011 elections, we have been doing our best to fine tune the procedures to engage all the stakeholders and ensure that we keep on improving the process. Our determination is to ensure that the 2015 elections remain much better than that of 2011,” Jega said.

Part of the efforts to “fine tune the procedures” that will, ultimately, deliver a credible electoral contest in 2015, is the plan by INEC to embark on constituency delimitation. The objective is to create a fair balance of the voting population.

Imperative of constituency delimitation

In mid-March, INEC held discussions with representatives of about 20 political parties on its plan to embark on the delimitation of constituencies in the country ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Jega told his audience in his opening remarks that the commission had already worked out a plan for the exercise, and that it would strive to achieve it before the 2015 polls.

“We have worked out a plan for the delimitation of constituencies, which we shall strive to do before the 2015 elections”, he told the gathering

As a demonstration of its determination to carry out the exercise, INEC in collaboration with some government agencies, organized a two-day retreat in early May for stakeholders in Nigeria at the Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu.

All things considered, a review of the existing delimitation structure, has become necessary because of demographic changes. After the Enugu retreat, INEC issued a communiqué in which it tried to justify the necessity for the plan.

The commission noted that the current delimitation structure was done 17 years ago and that it was carried out by the defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) in 1996, under a military regime. Besides, the commission is statutorily empowered to conduct delimitation of constituencies after 10 years, or after a census. Also, the growth in population and demographic shifts warrants a review of constituencies.

It argued that the current constituency structure has been severely criticised for “manifesting features that are at variance with international best practices, including mal-apportionments and other inequalities that challenge, in a fundamental manner, the principle of equal representation”.

It pressed its position further by saying that “if the principle of one man, one-vote in a single member representative system, such as ours is to be indeed enthroned in our democratic culture, conscious and deliberate effort must be made to review the constituencies in order to eliminate, or at least reduce to a minimum level, the current imbalances that have been noticed”.

The commission therefore agreed, at the retreat, that “to avoid the criticisms that have continued to dog the current delimitation, it would be wise and prudent to consider such good practices as administrative and traditional boundaries, cultural affinity, natural frontiers and physical features.”

Challenges

Desirable as it is, embarking on new constituency delimitation has its challenges. Jega, at the said retreat, admitted that the exercise would certainly face some challenges. He, however, assured that notwithstanding the challenges involved in the exercise, the electoral body would go ahead with it, for the sake of its positive effects in the development of the nation’s democracy.

“There is no doubt that constituency delimitation, or review of electoral constituencies, is difficult and challenging. But given its importance in expanding the scope of popular participation in representative democracy, and in strengthening good democratic governance, strenuous efforts have to be made to overcome the anticipated challenges.

“It is possible to successfully review and delimit electoral constituencies, as the experience of some of our sister African countries reveals. The commission is, therefore, determined to partner with all stakeholders to execute a transparent, rational and impartial delimitation of electoral constituencies”, he assured.

Already, the electoral body has agreed to use the 2006 census figures for the exercise. It was one of the major recommendations at the end of retreat. But one of the major challenges INEC is sure to face is skepticism on the part of the public and tendency to manipulate the process by political actors. As if anticipating these challenges, the retreat agreed, that, to successfully carry out the exercise, “the commission must continually engage with stakeholders, with a view to building confidence and mutual trust and disabusing mindsets, likely to be imbibed by key stakeholders, particularly, politicians who have vested interests in the exercise.”

Furthermore, INEC would have to ensure that the criteria for the exercise are “rational, transparent, impartial and non-partisan” while it “continues to carry its stakeholders along through continuous briefings, enlightenment, consultations, and voter education and public hearings”.

Speaking with The Nation on Tuesday, former Governor of old Kaduna State Alhaji Balarabe Musa said the major challenge the electoral body would face is that of convincing Nigerians that the exercise would be credible and justice driven.

“My first question is does it has the powers to do that, if yes, then it should go ahead. If it is the duty of another body to do it, it should do so faithfully. So, whether INEC or another body, it should do it faithfully; without regard to favouring anybody.

“It should ensure that the delimitation process is transparent from the begining to the end and be subject to scrutiny by all stakeholders. Now, I want to also say that the commission must emphasise the importance of the exercise to the electorate, because, it is what will give all of us what we want, which is one-man-one vote.

“It is only when there is the principle of equality, that the exercise can fully give expression to our desire to improve our electoral fortunes”, he said.

Lagos lawyer Chief Fred Agbaje agreed with the commission, that it was expected to conduct a review of constituencies after every general election or after any census in the country. “You know that our population is growing so rapidly, most of those who were 17 years in 2011 are now 18 years plus. There are also, movements across the country. Generally, it is desirable and we should encourage it. But then, there are likely to be challenges. There may be lack of cooperation from the public. And this will be basically as a result of lack of enough education about the issue at stake. So, people will see it as opportunity to inflict all sorts of political injury on our young democracy. There is also the possibility of it being hijacked by the political class for their own end? On the other hand, it could be hijacked by the politicians to maintain the status quo ”, he said.

Lagos State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Publicity Secretary Joe Ogbokwe said he is in support of the plan and believed, too, that many Nigerians would be in support of it, “only to the extent that it does not jeopardize 2015, and the realisation of a free and fair election. INEC must be prepared to do a clean and clear job.

“If you ask me, I will say that is the duty they owe Nigerians; to give us a free, fair and credible election. And if it will not serve that purpose, count me and all Nigerians out. So, from the word go, the commission must start by embarking on massive education and mobilization, if it hopes to succeed”, he said.

Prospects

The prospect of a successful delimitation of constituencies is high as long as it enjoys the support of critical stakeholders. With the attendance of the last retreat in Enugu by the leadership of the National Assembly; Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs); representatives of the National Population Commission (NPC); National Bureau of Statistics (NBS); Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGF); National Space Research and Development Agency (BCDA); Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST); and experts from the academia, there is high hope.

It has been observed that, one of the major flaws with previous efforts at review of constituency delimitation, has been inadequate engagement with major and critical stakeholders. But Jega assured participants at the Enugu retreat, that the commission’s new Delimitation Plan of Action, has provided for a robust programme of stakeholder sensitisation and engagement.

As part of the confidence building and sensitisation agenda with critical stakeholders, the commission held a three-day retreat in Sokoto in April with the Senate and House Committees on INEC. Coming just a month after the parley with party chieftains in Abuja, the Sokoto retreat provided another opportunity to review the existing constituencies.

The commission, Jega assured participants, will pursue the project with the same and even higher determination that has seen it overcome obstacles in the past.

“Certainly, we in the Commission will be the first to admit that the route has been tortuous and arduous but we have attended to the challenges with courage, determination, focus, honesty and sincerity of purpose.

“Indeed, it is all these (focus, courage, sincerity and transparency) and more, that we as a Commission are committed to bringing to this project in order to ensure a successful and generally acceptable review of electoral constituencies.

“We will seek your input into proposals for reviews of guidelines and procedures, strategies for citizen sensitization and mobilization for effective participation in elections, strategies for continuous voter registration, plans for constituency delimitation, and so on.”

But whether the commission will match its words with action, and so give Nigerians cause to smile when the 2015 elections are held and done, is left to be seen.